Chapter 8
sleep \Sleep\, v. t. 1. To be slumbering in; -- followed by a cognate object; as, to sleep a dreamless sleep. --Tennyson.
2. To give sleep to; to furnish with accommodations for sleeping; to lodge. [R.] --Blackw. Mag.
To sleep away, to spend in sleep; as, to sleep away precious time.
To sleep off, to become free from by sleep; as, to sleep off drunkenness or fatigue.
When she woke, Rebecca did not even bother getting out of bed. After all, what's the point? she asked herself. A girl I thought was becoming my friend doesn't trust me, my fiancé is turning himself in as a Death Eater and will probably rot in Azkaban, and I've just done something that will make Voldemort even madder. Well, let him kill me! I'm not afraid to die. It's got to beat this hell to pieces.
She looked around the room. Spears of light shone through between the cracks in the curtains. It was late. She tried to remember what day it was. I went to see Lily on Saturday, so it should be Sunday now. Unless, the thought struck her, unless I took too much of the sleeping draught. She had no idea what day it was. It could be Tuesday. So what if she was missing work? Merl had told her to take some time off anyway.
Tears welled up involuntarily in her eyes. She pulled the bed sheet over her head and sobbed into her pillow. She had no idea why she was crying.
"Loosing a friend can be hard," said a soft voice. Rebecca cried out in surprise. Sirius Black was standing at the foot of her bed. "James told me you and Lily had a fight."
He sat next to her on the bed. She choked out, "Why are you here? And how did you get in?"
He chuckled. "To answer your second question first, I apperated. The first is a bit more complex. I came because I'm worried about you, mainly. I know you haven't thought much of me in the past, but. . ." he paused to collect his thoughts.
Rebecca broke in, "I forgave you already, Sirius."
"But not James?"
"Not James. And never Peter."
He frowned. "I wish you could see James the way I do, Beck. He's so happy, so full of the love of life. All those sappy things. Sometimes I think his life is just all one big game. And his baby, oh, what a wonderful child. I never though I'd hear myself say this, but it's been years since we graduated, I'm no longer eighteen, and I almost want a child of my own. We have a beautiful godchild, Rebecca." He paused, and a predatory grin spread across his face. "Just think what a beautiful child we could have."
She grabbed up a pillow and smacked him over the head with it. He laughed and wrested it away from her, then proceeded to pin her down on the mattress and tickle her. She screamed with laughter and kicked at him, but he artfully dodged her foot and kissed her cheek. "I love you too," he told her, then added as he released her, "But I know you're engaged to Snape."
"You say that as if I were volunteering to go live in Azkaban."
He shuddered. "Ugh. I hate to think of that place. I wish it didn't exist. But I suppose we have to have someplace to ship Dark wizards and witches."
Their eyes met, and she murmured, "Everyone deserves a second chance, Sirius."
Sirius sighed heavily. "I suppose if you can give me one, I can give Snape one. But I don't pretend to like the idea."
Rebecca smiled. "Thanks. I appreciate you coming. What day is it, by the way?"
"Sunday."
She stared at him. "You mean, with all the potion I took I was only asleep for one night? Impossible!"
With a wry smile, he corrected her. "One week. You have a real unobservant flatmate, by the way. She still hasn't noticed that you haven't woken."
"Then how did you know-?"
"Your boss was worried when you didn't show up for work on Monday. Said you're usually very dedicated and hardworking." He shuddered at the thought of working hard. "Anyway, he dropped by and found you. Your flatmate wasn't even home. He said you weren't in any danger, but the only thing to do was let you sleep it off." She still looked quizzical, so he continued, "When Remus heard about your fight with Lily, he went to Merl to ask where you lived. Told me what happened."
"He told you what my fight with Lily was about?"
"Nope. He didn't know. Even James didn't know. Lily wouldn't tell. Blimy!" he exclaimed when she burst into tears. All her work had come to naught. She had lost her friend for nothing.
She wished she could tell Sirius what had happened, but as he wasn't in danger, her oath to Voldemort put paid to that idea. She cursed herself. It would have been better to become a Death Eater. At least then she could talk, although it would probably mean her life.
Her only comforting thought was that by now Severus must have gone to Dumbledore, who would find some way to protect the potters. Or at least Harry. With uncharacteristic bitterness, she found herself thinking how it would serve the Potters right to have the avada kedavra curse put on them. Being around Severus must be wearing off on her.
